BEATS and RANTS

New Video: VH1 Behind the Music - Notorious B.I.G. (Sneak Peek)

 

 

The late and great Notorious B.I.G. is profiled on the next episode of VH1's Behind the Music series. Here's an 11-minute sneak peak of that episode, which airs this Thursday (May 3) at 9 p.m. ET.

 

 

A teardrop falls from my eye.

New Music: Goodie Mob - "Fight to Win"

 

 

Goodie Mob has officially(?) reunited and appeared on NBC's The Voice Monday night (April 23) to debut their new single, "Fight to Win." Dressed like futuristic warriors in gold-armored suits, the Atlanta group performed the anthemic track, which is now available on iTunes.

The song has too much pop sheen, so it gets an "eh" from me, but it should garner them some attention on radio. Goodie Mob hasn't released an album in over 13 years (wow!). Their last album collectively as a group was 1999's World Party.

"Fight to Win" is from their new album Age Against the Machine, which is currently in production.

 

*REWIND*: Who's that peeking in my window? Pow!

American Bandstand Host Dick Clark Dead at 82

 

 

Can we please have a moment of silence for Dick Clark, a television icon and entrepreneur who passed away on April 18 after suffering a heart attack. He was 82. The ageless wunderkind was the host of the influential dance show American Bandstand, and celebrated the new year with television viewers in New York's Time Square on his New Year’s Rockin’ Eve specials.

During the early years of American Bandstand (circa the 1950s and '60s), Clark was instrumental in breaking racial barriers by giving African-American artists a forum to perform on national television. Among the artists who appeared on his show include Chuck Berry, Sam Cooke, Little Richard, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5, the Supremes and others.

"I'm saddened and devastated over the loss of my dear friend, Dick Clark," said Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, Jr. in a statement (via Billboard). "We were friends for over 50 years. My thoughts and condolences go out to his family, especially his wonderful wife, Kari, who took such incredible care of him always."

"Dick was always there for me and Motown, even before there was a Motown," he continued. "He was an entrepreneur, a visionary and a major force in changing pop culture and ultimately influencing integration. It happened first emotionally. Music can do that. He didn't do it from a soap box, he just did it. That's who he was. 'American Bandstand' was a platform for all artists. For me personally, he helped bring Motown into living rooms across America."

'Dick did everything with class, style and integrity," Gordy concluded. "He was a true gentleman. His groundbreaking achievements in music and television ensure that his legacy will live on forever."

His entertainment company Dick Clark Productions produced a myriad of game shows, made-for-TV movies, beauty pageants and awards shows -- most notably, the American Music Awards, the Daytime Emmy Awards and the Golden Globe Awards.

Rest in Peace Dick Clark ... and thank you.

 

After the flipper, check out some of the greatest American Bandstand moments (IMHO).

 

We Will Always Love You: Whitney Houston Dead at Age 48

 

 

Can we please have a moment of silence for Whitney Elizabeth Houston. The R&B veteran whose unparalleled voice ruled pop music for over three decades has died at the age of 48.

According to the Associated Press, Houston's publicist, Kristen Foster, said the singer passed away on Saturday (Feb. 11) but didn't explain how she died or the location of her death.

TMZ reports that Houston was staying at the Beverly Hilton hotel when security called 911. When paramedics arrived Houston was found unresponsive.  According to TMZ's sources, paramedics tried CPR on her but were unsuccessful in reviving her and she was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:55PM PT.

"I am absolutely heartbroken at the news of Whitney's passing," said Quincy Jones said in a statement. "Ashford & Simpson first made me aware of Whitney when she was just sixteen, and I always regretted not having had the opportunity to work with her. She was a true original and a talent beyond compare. I will miss her terribly."

News of Houston's death came on the eve of the Grammy Awards and hours before her longtime mentor and friend Clive Davis was to hold his annual pre-Grammy party.

But none of that matters now. We have truly lost an icon in pop, R&B and soul music. When Houston burst onto the scene in the late '80s, she was the total package: She was a model-esque singer with a beautiful voice who had no limitations to her vocal talent.

Houston came from a very strong pedigree of singers. She was the daughter of gospel veteran Cissy Houston, the cousin of 'Walk on By' singer Dionne Warwick and the goddaughter of the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin. So singing and performing was simply in her blood.

Houston made her album debut in 1985 with Whitney Houston, which boasted the Quiet Storm staple "Saving All My Love for You" and the endearing "The Greatest Love of All." She followed that with her second LP Whitney in 1987, which included hits like "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" and "Didn't We Almost Have It All." In her career, Houston released seven albums and sold over 170 million copies all together worldwide.

Not only did Houston conquered music, but she also reigned in films, as well. She made her acting debut in the 1992 flick The Bodyguard opposite Kevin Coster. The accompanying soundtrack featured the chart-topping single "I Will Always Love You," which is probably the most-remade and revered song in Houston's discography. "I Will Always Love You" won Record of the Year at the 1994 Grammy Awards and Best Female Pop Vocal, while the Bodyguard soundtrack won for Album of the Year.

Houston continued her acting career starring in such movies as Waiting to Exhale, The Preacher's Wife (with Denzel Washington) and she just finished production on the remake of 1976 film Sparkle.

Outside of music, Houston's personal life was examined heavily by the media. The singer's drug usage were well-documented and she once admitted to using cocaine and marijuana on Oprah Winfrey's daytime talk show. Her marriage to New Edition crooner Bobby Brown was also fodder for the tabloids. From their union, they had one child, Bobbi Kristina. The couple would later divorce in 2007.

Among Houston's career-long accolades include 6 Grammy Awards, 2 Emmy Awards and over two dozen American Music Awards.

Whitney Houston was one of a kind. A voice that will never been duplicated, ever. Sadly, her soulful voice is now silenced.

Rest in Peace, Whitney Houston.

Thank you for blessing us with your God-given talent.

You will never be forgotten.

 

Songwriter Hallerin Hilton Hill, who co-wrote the song "Who Would Imagine A King", which was performed by Houston for the movie The Preacher's Wife, shares his thoughts on Whitney Houston's legacy.

Spotted: wbir

Soul Train Creator Don Cornelius Dead at 75

©Soul Train

 

Can we please have a moment of silence for Don Cornelius, the conductor of Soul Train, the most influential music program in television history.

The 75-year-old television icon was found dead on Feb. 1 in his Encino, Calif. home from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. The Los Angeles Police Department said there was no sign of foul play, but they are still investigating the case.

"He was a wonderful man," recalls legendary producer Kenny Gamble, who, along with Leon Huff, produced "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" aka the theme song to Soul Train. "He had a great vision that's part of the American culture forever. People all over this planet know about 'Soul Train,' and they know it came from America. 'Soul Train' provided an opportunity for Gamble & Huff and Motown and Stax and all the black artists who could not get a break. He left a great legacy."

Soul Train was Black America's American Bandstand and Don Cornelius was their Dick Clark. Cornelius was a Chicago native who worked various job in the city before landing a gig as a disc jockey and news reporter at Chicago radio station WVON. On August 1970, while employed at WCIU-TV, Cornelius launched Soul Train as way to target the "ethnic" demographic to the station. Shot with no color cameras on a shoe-string budget, the show caught on with black teens that had been largely ignored by other programs, most notably American Bandstand.

From Oct. 1 1975 until 2006, Soul Train became the longest-running, nationally syndicated program in television history. It was a reflection of African-American culture not just with music but with fashion and dance, as well. For millions of viewers, the Soul Train dancers were like family members who had permission to dance in their living rooms. Some of the famous Soul Train dancers included actress Rosie Perez, rapper MC Hammer and singer Jody Watley who would later perform on the show as a member of the R&B trio Shalamar.

The Roots' drummer Questlove, who considers himself a Soul Train aficionado, said that Mr. Cornelius was more than just a TV host, he was a civil-rights pioneer.

"[I] just wanna use my position to really let people know that next to Berry Gordy, Don Cornelius was hands down the MOST crucial non-political figure to emerge from the civil rights era post [1968]," he writes on Okayplayer.com. The craziest most radical thing of all is I don’t even consider Soul Train his most radical statement. Soul Train had double duty, to not only produce a show, but they also had to provide ALL of the production for the Johnson beauty products commercials that was funding the show. Often using the set and the Soul Train gang (they became Soul Train dancers in 1976) as lead actors. The genius of it all was THIS was the first time that black people were proud to be called AFRICAN."

Cornelius was often criticize for not featuring hip-hop acts on the program. Although rap artists such as Run-DMC, DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, Public Enemy and Naughty by Nature had the opportunity to grace the stage, critics felt Cornelius ignore rap music.

But Cornelius disagrees. "I've been accused of not being up on hip-hop or not being a fan of hip-hop, which was never true," he told the Chicago Tribune in 2010. "If you had a following and you were charting in the major industry magazines -- Billboard, and before that Cash Box -- we had a commitment that Soul Train was yours. And we lived up to that. We saw ourselves as a mirror of what black radio was doing. That whole criteria was part of what kept us going so long."

Cornelius left the show in 1993 and the train continued to "get on down" until 2006. In 2010, VH1 aired the documentary Soul Train: The Hippest Trip in America by filmmaker Kevin Swain.

In the end, Cornelius was the coolest brother on television. From his calming baritone voice to his well-tailored suits, it was a pleasure to watch him interview artists and dancers (at the Soul Train scramble board) on the show. And his famous parting words -- "Love, Peace and Soul" -- will forever live on in our hearts.

Rest in Peace, Don Cornelius.